Dutch put league games on ice before Ajax face Spurs

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UEFA Champions League (Getty Images)

The Hague - The Dutch football federation Friday postponed all premier league
games ahead of Ajax's Champions League semi-final against Tottenham
Hotspur, saying players "needed at least two full rest days between
games."

The Amsterdam club was set to meet the eastern Dutch club De
Graafschap on April 28 in their next Eredivisie clash and then play
Spurs on April 30 in London in the first leg of their European last-four
clash.

"Two games in three days are not possible. There has to be two full
rest days between two games," the Royal Dutch Football Federation (KNVB)
said in a statement.

All games have now been postponed until May 12 and 15, the KNVB said,
with "all hosting clubs having received permission from their local
authorities."

The KNVB said the step was taken because of concerns over players and not to give Ajax a competitive advantage over Spurs.

Ajax's dream to play a coveted Champions League final took another
leap forward earlier this week after beating Juventus 2-1 in Turin and
winning the tie 3-2 on aggregate.

Tuesday's victory means they have played 16 games in this season's
competition, losing only once, at home to defending champions Real
Madrid in the last round. They responded with a memorable 4-1 second-leg
victory at the Santiago Bernabeu.